diff --git a/scripts/generate_test_profile.py b/scripts/generate_test_profile.py
index 5e73847a..104a6bab 100644
--- a/scripts/generate_test_profile.py
+++ b/scripts/generate_test_profile.py
@@ -31,12 +31,20 @@ if str(SRC_DIR) not in sys.path:
 
 import constants as consts
 
-# Use a dedicated subdirectory for test profiles so regular data is not polluted
-consts.APP_DIR = consts.APP_DIR / "tests"
-consts.PARENT_SEED_FILE = consts.APP_DIR / "parent_seed.enc"
-consts.SCRIPT_CHECKSUM_FILE = consts.APP_DIR / "seedpass_script_checksum.txt"
+from constants import initialize_app
 
-from constants import APP_DIR, initialize_app
+
+def test_app_dir() -> Path:
+    """Directory holding generated test profiles.
+
+    Resolved on every call from ``constants.APP_DIR`` rather than captured at
+    import time, so a caller (or a test) that repoints ``constants.APP_DIR``
+    is honored. Mutating the constant at import time instead made this module
+    read whichever directory happened to be configured when it was first
+    loaded -- in practice the developer's real ``~/.seedpass`` -- and appended
+    another ``tests`` segment on each reload.
+    """
+    return Path(consts.APP_DIR) / "tests"
 from utils.key_derivation import derive_key_from_password, derive_index_key
 from seedpass.core.encryption import EncryptionManager
 from seedpass.core.vault import Vault
@@ -59,7 +67,9 @@ def initialize_profile(
 ) -> tuple[str, EntryManager, Path, str, ConfigManager]:
     """Create or load a profile and return the seed phrase, manager, directory and fingerprint."""
     initialize_app()
-    seed_txt = APP_DIR / f"{profile_name}_seed.txt"
+    app_dir = test_app_dir()
+    app_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    seed_txt = app_dir / f"{profile_name}_seed.txt"
     if seed_txt.exists():
         seed_phrase = seed_txt.read_text().strip()
     else:
@@ -71,13 +81,16 @@ def initialize_profile(
         seed_txt.write_text(seed_phrase)
         seed_txt.chmod(0o600)
 
-    fp_mgr = FingerprintManager(APP_DIR)
-    fingerprint = fp_mgr.add_fingerprint(seed_phrase) or generate_fingerprint(
-        seed_phrase
-    )
+    fp_mgr = FingerprintManager(app_dir)
+    try:
+        fingerprint = fp_mgr.add_fingerprint(seed_phrase)
+    except ValueError:
+        # Re-running against an existing profile is the normal case for this
+        # script; add_fingerprint raises rather than returning None there.
+        fingerprint = None
     if fingerprint is None:
-        fingerprint = profile_name
-    profile_dir = APP_DIR / fingerprint
+        fingerprint = generate_fingerprint(seed_phrase) or profile_name
+    profile_dir = app_dir / fingerprint
     profile_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
     seed_key = derive_key_from_password(DEFAULT_PASSWORD, fingerprint)
diff --git a/src/tests/test_generate_test_profile.py b/src/tests/test_generate_test_profile.py
index 8b6da8cc..12ee4dc1 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_generate_test_profile.py
+++ b/src/tests/test_generate_test_profile.py
@@ -27,7 +27,14 @@ def test_initialize_profile_creates_directories(monkeypatch):
         seed, mgr, dir_path, fingerprint, cfg_mgr = gtp.initialize_profile("test")
         assert cfg_mgr is not None
 
-        assert constants.APP_DIR.exists()
-        assert (constants.APP_DIR / "test_seed.txt").exists()
+        # Generated profiles live under APP_DIR/tests so they never mix with
+        # real ones. The script used to achieve this by mutating
+        # constants.APP_DIR at import time, which leaked into every other
+        # importer in the process; it now derives the path per call.
+        test_dir = gtp.test_app_dir()
+        assert test_dir == constants.APP_DIR / "tests"
+        assert test_dir.exists()
+        assert (test_dir / "test_seed.txt").exists()
+        assert dir_path.parent == test_dir
         assert dir_path.exists()
         assert dir_path.name == fingerprint
diff --git a/src/tests/test_profile_init_integration.py b/src/tests/test_profile_init_integration.py
index 484447e8..e137a142 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_profile_init_integration.py
+++ b/src/tests/test_profile_init_integration.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import importlib.util
 from pathlib import Path
 from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
 
+import constants
 from seedpass.core.manager import PasswordManager, EncryptionMode
 
 
@@ -21,6 +22,11 @@ def test_initialize_profile_and_manager(monkeypatch):
     with TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
         tmp_path = Path(tmpdir)
         monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "home", lambda: tmp_path)
+        # constants.APP_DIR is computed from Path.home() when constants is
+        # first imported, which happens long before this monkeypatch. Without
+        # repointing it the script reads the developer's real ~/.seedpass and
+        # fails against whatever profile happens to live there.
+        monkeypatch.setattr(constants, "APP_DIR", tmp_path / ".seedpass")
 
         gtp = load_script()